Trunk-tray form.



No. 870,949. PATENTED NOV.12. 1907. W. S. GILSON.

TRUNK TRAY FORM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-21,1907- against the right hand end of said box.

UNITED STATE WALTER S. GILSON, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN.

TRUNK-TRAY FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed February 21,1907. Serial No. 358,682.

To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, WALTER S. GILsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Benton Harbor, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'lrunk-Tray Forms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others. skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to trunk tray forms.

Ithas for its object to facilitate the assembling of the several parts of trunk trays and particularly for holding theends and partitions of trunk trays, while the front and back strips are being fastened thereto.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device showing in solid lines the end pieces and partition of a tray in place in the box, the position of said end pieces and partition and the front strip when supported on the platform being shown 7 in dotted lines, and Fig. 2 longitudinal vertical sectional view of Fig. 1.

, ,Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 is a long rectangular box open at the top. To one side of said box and at the bottom thereof is secured a troughshaped platform 2. Series of oppositely arranged vertical grooves 3 are formed in the inner surfaces of the sides of the box near the left hand end thereof. A bowed spring 4 is secured to the bottom and bears Intermediate of the ends of said box, but nearer the right hand end a series of horizontal strips 5 are secured across the top thereof with their ends projecting out over the platform 2. Vertical strips 6 are fastened to the inner surfaces of the sides of the box in line with each of the horizontal strips. The inner surfaces of said sides are also pro vided with horizontal grooves or ways 7 near the top of the box and between the horizontal strips 5 and the right hand end of said box. In said horizontal grooves or ways a plate 8 is adapted to slide and to said plate is secured a bowed spring 9 extending toward said horizontal strips. Said plate may be fastened at different points by means of pins 10 passed down across the horizontal grooves and through perforations in said plate.

On the outer surface of the side of the box toward the platform are secured two blocks 11 and 12, the former being fixed near the right hand end of said box. The

other block 12 is removably fastened near the extending ,ends of the horizontal strips 5, and may be secured at different points by means of bolts 13 passed through two of a series of holes 14 in the side of the box. Each of said blocks is triangular in cross section and to the l l l l upper faces of the proj ecting portions thereof are secured bowed springs 15 and 16 respectively. The spring 15 on the block 11 extends toward the right and the spring 16 011 the block 12 extends toward the left. Another horizontal strip 17 is secured to the upper edge of the right hand end of the box and also projects out over the platform. The width of the interior of the box should equal the width of the end pieces and partitions of the trunk trays to be formed. An opening 17 is formed in the bottom of the box for sweeping out sawdust.

To put together the parts of a trunk tray, one end piece 18 is inserted in the right hand end of the box with the square cnd down and the spring 4 bearing against it. The other end piece 19 is inserted, square end down, in a pair of the grooves in the left hand end of the box, it being evident that the length of the tray to be made will be regulated by the selection of the grooves into which said left hand end piece is placed. The partition 20 is inserted, square end down, so as to bear against one of the horizontal cross pieces 5 and the vertical strips in line therewith and is held in place by the spring 9 on the plate 8; It will be understood, of course, that the partition may be inserted so as to bear against any one of said horizontal strips 5 and that the plate 8 may be adjusted accordingly in order to make the different sizes of trays. I

When the end pieces and partition arc in place as described, the trongh-shaped front strip 21 of the tray may be readily fastened to the peaked ends thereof, as shown in Fig. l. The end pieces and partition, being fastened to said front piece, are removed from the box, and turned upside down with said front piece resting upon the platform, the right hand end piece arranged between the spring 15 and the projecting portion of the strip 17 and the partition between the projecting portion of one of the horizontal strips 5 and the spring 16. The block 12 to which said spring 1b is secured should, of course, be first adjusted in proper position relative to the one of said horizontal strips engaged by said partition. When in this position, the back strip 22 may be easily fastened to the upper square ends of said end pieces and partition.

It will be noted that the ends of the strips 5 and 17 are beveled laterally to. guide the partition and end piece of the tray into position to be supported thereby.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a box, having means at one end to hold one end piece of a tray in vertical position, said box provided with a series of vertical slots near the other end thereof for holding the other end piece at different positions, and adjustable means for holding the partition vertically intermediate of the end pieces.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a box having a spring secured to its bottom near one end and adapted to hold one end piece of a tray in vertical position against the end of said box, the latter providedwith a series of vertical slots near the other end thereof for holding the other end piece of the tray at different posi tions, and adjustable means for holding the partition vertically intermediate of said end pieces.

A device of the character described comprising a box having means at one end to hold one end piece of a tray in vertical position, said box provided with means near the other end thereof for holding the other end piece at different positions, a series of horizontal strips arranged across the top of said box, vertical strips secured to the inner surfaces of the sides of said box in line with said horizontal strips, and an adjustable plate carrying a spring adapted to hold the partitionof the tray against one of said horizontal strips and the vertical strips in line therewith.

4. A device of the character described comprising a box having means at one endto hold one end piece of a tray in vertical position, said box provided with means near the other end thereof for holding the other end piece at different positions, a series of horizontal strips arranged across the top of said box, vertical strips secured to the inner surfaces of the sides of said box in line with said horizontal strips, a plate arranged to slide in grooves in the sides of the box and carrying a spring adapted to bear against the partition and hold it against one of said horizontal strips, and the vertical strips in line therewith, and means to secure said plate in proper position relative to each of said horizontal strips.

5. A device of the character described comprising a box having means to hold the end pieces and partition of a tray in vertical position, while the front strip is being fastened thereto, a platform at one side of said box upon.

which said front strip may be placed in an inverted position after said end pieces and partition have been secured thereto, and means on said box for supporting one of said end pieces and said partition while the back strip of the tray is being fastened in place.

G. A device of the character described comprising a box having means to hold the end pieces and partition of a tray in vertical position while the front strip is being fastened thereto, a platform at one side of said box upon which said front strip may be placed in an inverted position after saidend pieces and partition have been secured thereto, a horizontal strip projecting from the box over one end of the platform, a series of horizontal strips projecting from said box over said platform at different points intermediate of its ends, blocks secured to the side of said box, one fixed near the horizontal strip at the end of said box, another block adapted to be adjusted with reference to each of said intermediate projecting strips, and springs mounted on said blocks for the purpose specified.

7. A device of the character described comprising a box having means to hold the end pieces and partition of. a tray in vertical position while the front strip is being fastened thereto, a platform at one side of said box upon which said front strip may be placed in an inverted position after saidend pieces and partition have been secured thereto, a horizontal strip projecting from the box over one end of the platform, a series of horizontal strips projecting from said box over said platform at different points intermediate of its ends, blocks secured to the side of said box, one fixed near the horizontal strip at the end of said box and another block adapted to be adjusted with reference to each of said intermediate projecting strips, each of said blocks being triangular in cross section, and springs mounted on the upper face of the projecting portions of said blocks for the purpose specified.

8. A device of the character described comprising a box having means to hold the end pieces and partition of a tray in vertical position while the front strip is being secured to the peaked ends thereof, and a trough-shaped platform secured to the side of said box and adapted .to receive said front strip when inverted for the purpose specified.

9. A device of the character described comprising a box having means tohold the end pieces and partition of a tray in vertical position while the front strip is being secured to the ends thereof, a platform secured to the side of said box and adapted to receive said front strip inverted after the end pieces and partition have been fastened thereto, the means for holding the partition in the box including a horizontal strip arranged across the top of said box and extending out over the platform whereby it also forms a support for one side of said partition when removed from said box, a horizontal strip projecting from the box over the platform at one end thereof, and means to hold the partition and one end piece respectively against said horizontal projecting strips.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER S. GILSONl Witnesses F. G. GILSON, W. GILSON. 

